KEIKELEY 

LL'.RARY 

UNIVERSm  Of 
CALIFORNIA 


EARTH 

SC/5NCES 


CALlFORNIy\  STATE  MINING  BUREAU. 


Bulletin  No.  1, 


A  DESCRIPTION    U^    S'^'h- 

OF  THE  O      n-   -^ 

DESICCATED    HUMAN    REMAINS 


California  State  Mining  Bureau. 


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By  WINSLOW  AN 


."SACRAMENTO: 
STATE   OFFICE,    :::.!.  D.  YOUNG,  SUPT.   STATE    PRINTING. 

1888-; 


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CALIFORNIA  STATE  MINING  BUREAU. 


WM.  IRELAN,  Jr.,  State  Mineralogist. 


Bulletin  No.  1. 


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A  DESCRIPTION 


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DESICCATED    HUMAN    REMAINS 


California  State  Mining  Bureau, 


Bv  WINSLOW  ANDERSON,  M.D. 


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OCT  2 1  m% 

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SACRAMENTO: 
STATE   OFFICE,    :    :    :    J.  D.  YOUNG,  SUPT.   STATE   PRINTING. 

1888. 


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INTRODUCTORY. 

SCIENCES 

LIBRARY 

7^0  the  hono7'able  Board  of  T7'nstees  of  the  California 
State  Mining  Bureati: 

Gentlemen:  In  compliance  with  your  invitation,  I 
have  the  honor  to  submit  the.  following  article  on  the 
mummified  human  remains  -now  on  exhibition  in  the 
Ethnological  Department  of  your  Bureau. 

Subjoined  to  the  description  and  measurements  of 
these  ancient  bodies  I  have  made  a  few  observations 
on:  The  infancy  of  the  intellectual  races  and  their  ethno- 
logical classification;  some  of  the  habits  and  foods  of 
the  savages  now  inhabiting  different  parts  of  the  globe; 
the  probable  origin  of  the  aborigines  of  the  Pacific 
Coast,  their  historical  traditions,  burial  ceremonies, 
myths,  etc. — all  relating  more  or  less  to  the  existence 
of  a  once  flourishing  race — the  ancestors  of  our  present 
mummifications. 

In  the  preparation  of  the  paper  I  have  availed  my- 
self of  the  many  interesting  and  valuable  anthropologi- 
cal and  ethnological  data  from  the  pens  of  some  of  the 
most  renowned  scientists  and  writers  the  world  has 
ever  produced,  and  it  is  desired  to  make  due  acknowl- 
edgment here  to  all  those  who  have  not  been  men- 
tioned in  the  body  of  the  article.  Prominent  among 
these  are  the  names  of  Darwin,  Huxley,  Spencer, 
Haeckel,  Cortes,  Acosta,  Clavigero,  Duran,  Sahagun, 
Diaz,  Chaves,  Karl,  Snell,  Hale,  Flint,  Farrar,  Her- 
rera,  Bancroft,  Prescott,  De  Bourbourg,  Powell,  and 
many  daily,  weekly,  and  monthly  journals. 


683 


California  State  Mining  Bureau. 


Acknowledgment  is  also  due  to  Mr.  W.  S.  Keyes  for 
his  valuable  services  in  taking  the  photographs  of  the 
bodies  from  which  the  arto-type  plates  were  secured. 

It  may  be  confidently  predicted  that  when  the  Pacific 
slope — so  rich  in  prehistoric  remains — shall  have  been 
thoroughly  explored,  many  interesting  and  valuable  dis- 
coveries will  be  made  relative  to  the  origin  of  the  Pacific 
Coast  aborigines  and  their  relationship  to  the  European 
anthropophagous  cave-dwellers. 

I  have  the  honor,  gentlemen,  to  subscribe  myself  your 
obedient  servant, 

WINSLOW  ANDERSON,  M.D. 
829  Broadway,  San  Francisco,  May  i,  1888. 


NATURALLY  MUMMIFIED  HUMAN  BODIES  EXHUMED 
IN  THE  SIERRA  MADRE  MOUNTAINS. 


Through  the  liberaHty  and  untiring  energy  of  Mr. 
J.  Z.  Davis,  President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the 
State  Mining  Bureau,  a  valuable  collection  of  desiccated 
human  remains  has  been  added  to  the  archaeological 
department  of  this  institution. 

HISTORY    OF    THE    DISCOVERY. 

While  the  Mexican  archaeologist,  Signor  S.  Marghi- 
eri,  was  exploring  the  eastern  side  of  the  Sierra  Madre 
Mountains  in  Mexico,  about  two  hundred  miles  south 
of  Deming,  between  Coralitos  and  Casas  Grandes,  and 
at  an  elevation  of  nearly  seven  thousand  feet,  a  hermet- 
ically sealed  cave  was  discovered  and  explored.  The 
floor  was  nearly  smooth,  the  sides  rough  and  rugged, 
and  the  vault  covered  with  stalactites.  The  cave  was 
of  considerable  dimensions,  and  proved  to  be  a  veritable 
sepulchre,  for  at  the  far  end  of  this  cavern,  four  mummi- 
fied human  remains  were  found.  The  caves  which  this 
people  sanctified  by  the  inhumation  of  their  dead,  are 
generally  situated  in  the  cliffs,  on  the  banks  of  some 
large  river,  or  high  up  some  precipitous  and  almost  in- 
accessible mountain.  (See  the  writer's  article  in 
"Science,"  September  23,  1887.) 

The  bodies  were  found  in  a  sitting  posture,  hands 
crossed  on  the  breast  and  knees  approaching  the  chin, 
with  the  head  inclined  forward.  They  were  all  care- 
fully shrouded  in  their  burial  garments,  and  accurately 


California  State  Mining  Bureau. 


placed  facing  the  rising-  sun — the  source  of  all  light — 
presumably  ready  to  rise  at  a  moment's  warning,  shake 
the  dust  from  their  heads,  and  walk  out  of  their  sarcoph- 
agus. The  male  and  the  female  (see  Figures  i  and  2) 
probably  husband  and  wife,  were  seated  side  by  side, 
the  elder  child,  a  boy  (Figure  3),  was  placed  to  the  right 
of  the  father,  and  the  younger  child,  a  little  girl  (Figure 
4),  to  the  left  of  the  mother.  In  addition  to  the  burial 
shrouds  the  little  girl  was  enveloped  in  the  skin  of  an 
animal,  similar  to  the  method  used  on  the  islands  of 
Fuerteventura,  the  better  to  preserve  its  tender  frame. 

Entombed  in  their  cave  sepulchre  could  be  found  no 
trace  of  any  implements,  utensils,  or  personal  effects. 
No  hieroglyphics  or  pictographs  to  indicate  their  history 
or  give  a  clew  to  their  identity. 

The  floor  of  the  cavern,  and  the  remains,  were  cov- 
ered with  a  fine,  impalpable  dust,  probably  the  accu- 
mulation of  ages.  No  footprints  of  man  or  beast  had 
desecrated  the  sepulchre  since  the  time  of  the  interment. 
Only  one  sign  remained  to  indicate  the  advent  of  man 
to  these  now  barren  and  desolate  regions  (besides  the 
ruins  of  cities  and  casas  to  be  noticed  elsewhere),  and 
that  was  the  sealing  of  the  opening  of  the  cave.  This 
had  been  accomplished  by  means  of  sun-dried,  adobe 
bricks,  and  adobe  paste,  or  plaster,  together  with  natural 
rocks  from  the  mountain.  So  carefully  are  these  caves 
sealed  that  none  but  an  acute  observer  would  notice  its 
artificial  closure. 

Professor  Marghieri  and  party  having  determined  to 
convey  the  bodies  to  San  Francisco,  the  utmost  secrecy 
was  necessary,  for  it  would  have  been  all  their  lives 
were  worth  to  have  the  Indians  discover  the  contents  of 


Bulletin  No.  1. 


their  parcels.  The  aborigines  of  this,  and  many  other 
locaHties,  entertain  the  greatest  superstitious  veneration 
for  their  departed  ancestors,  amounting,  in  many  cases, 
to  actual  worship,  believing  the  spirits  of  the  dead,  of 
whom  they  cherish  fabulous  accounts,  hover  over  them 
and  their  dead  bodies,  and  protect  the  community  from 
evil.  Should  the  bodies  be  removed,  the  spirits  would 
also  follow,  and  the  Indians  would  lose  their  guardians 
and  spiritual  advisers.  Indeed,  some  tribes  believe 
that  the  spirit  resides  in  the  bones  of  the  dead.  Hence, 
whilst  the  Indians  did  not  know  specifically  the  place  of 
interment  of  the  mummified  bodies,  their  legends  teach 
them  that  the  mountains  and  caves  are  peopled  with  the 
spirits  of  some  great  nation  of  whom  they  are  pleased 
to  call  themselves  descendants. 

Accordingly,  the  bodies  were  carefully  wrapped  in  such 
cloth  as  they  had,  and  packed  in  sacks  and  strapped  on 
the  backs  of  the  pack  mules,  and  conveyed  some  two 
hundred  miles  to  the  nearest  railroad  station,  where 
they  were  carefully  repacked  in  suitable  cases,  and  trans- 
ported to  San  Francisco. 

Having  ascertained  their  whereabouts,  Mr.  J.  Z.  Davis 
lost  no  time  in  purchasing  the  bodies,  and  generously 
presented  them  to  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  where  they 
form  one  of  the  many  notable  attractions  that  are  daily 
viewed  by  hundreds. 

Aside  from  their  great  curiosity,  as  being  among  the 
first  natural  mummifications  discovered  on  this  coast, 
these  well  preserved  human  remains  present  a  great 
many  points  of  general  and  scientific  interest. 


8  California  State  Mining  Bureau. 


DESCRIPTION    OF    THE    BODIES. 

These  naturally  mummified  bodies  differ  from  mum- 
mies proper,  in  the  general  acceptation  of  the  term, 
inasmuch  as  no  embalming  process  for  their  preserva- 
tion was  used.  They  were  desiccated  in  their  cave 
sepulchre  by  the  natural  elements.  The  dry  hot  atmos- 
phere extracted  all  the  moisture  from  the  tissues,  and 
the  bodies  literally  dried  up  as  we  would  dry  jerk-beef, 
or  as  the  Indians  of  to-day  dry  the  bison  (buffalo)  meat 
which  keeps  for  years. 

There  is  no  evidence  of  these  bodies  having  under- 
gone any  preparatory  process.  The  brain,  heart,  lungs, 
abdominal,  and  pelvic  viscera  are  all  intact  and  dried  to 
a  solid  consistency. 

Figure  i  (a  and  d)  represents  the  pow;erful  frame  of 
a  male  body,  about  five  feet  eight  inches  tall  and  well 
proportioned.  The  bones  are  large,  and  he  must  have 
had  an  excellent  physique.  He  probably  weighed  be- 
tween one  hundred  and  eighty  and  two  hundred  pounds. 
All  the  body  now  weighs  is  fourteen  pounds! 

The  integument  is  well  preserved,  and  presents  the 
appearance  of  dried  hide,  or  thick  parchment,  of  a  dark 
gray  color,  and  all  that  remains  between  it  and  the 
bones  are  the  dried  muscles,  tendons,  nerves,  and  fascia. 
The  body  is  well  developed,  the  shoulders  measuring 
from  one  acromion  process  to  the  other,  three  hundred 
and  ninety  millimetres  (about  fifteen  and  a  half  inches); 
the  hands  are  small,  and  the  fingers  tapering;  the  feet 
are  also  small,  measuring  two  hundred  and  forty  millime- 
tres (about  nine  and  a  half  inches),  and  highly  arched. 
The  phalanges  of  the  digits  are  perfect,  each  having  the 


Fig.  1  a. 


!■; 


Fig.  1  B. 


Bulletin  No.  1.  ^^/^      9 


"^^e^ 


normal  number  of  bones,  and  the  ungual  appendages        ^^^^ 
are  well  preserved  and  not  unusually  long. 

The  body  has  dried  in  the  sitting  posture,  hands 
crossed  and  knees  drawn  towards  the  chin.  It  will  be 
observed  that  the  cheek  and  lips  on  the  left  side  pro- 
trude. This  probably  occurred  during  the  time  of 
mummification;  the  moisture  leaking  from  the  interior 
of  the  brain  and  surrounding  tissues,  through  the  cribri- 
form plate  of  the  ethmoid  at  the  anterior  portion  of  the 
calvaria,  through  the  cribriform  foramina  into  the  inferior 
meatus  nasi,  and  the  head  being  inclined  toward  the 
left,  produced  this  bulging  from  the  force  of  gravitation. 
Being  itself  in  turn  dried  up,  the  mouth  maintained  its 
present  shape.  Short  stiff  hairs  can  be  seen  on  the 
head.  The  eyebrows  and  eyelashes  are  also  distinctly 
visible.  A  little  hair  can  also  be  noticed  on  the  upper 
lip,  but  very  little  beard  anywhere  on  the  face.  The 
ears  are  closely  pressed  against  the  sides  of  the  head 
and  only  the  cartilages  remain.  The  eyes  are  quite 
perfect,  and  present  a  slight  outward  obliquity.  The 
nose,  originally  broad,  has  been  more  flattened  by  the 
shrinking  of  the  cartilages  and  the  alae  nasi.  The  lips 
are  stiff  and  solid  and  the  tongue  is  shriveled  to  the 
consistency  of  cork.  There  is  a  full  set  of  masticators 
in  his  mouth,  thirty-two  in  number,  and  all  quite  well 
preserved.  A  few  of  the  dentures  only  have  the  enamel 
worn  down  to  the  dentine.  The  ribs  are  large  and  well 
formed,  indicative  of  a  well  shaped  chest.  The  genita- 
lia are  well  preserved. 

It  will  be  observed  that  on  the  head  there  has  been 
a  large  growth  of  hair,  on  the  face  very  little,  and  on 
the  body  scarcely  any  at  all. 


10  California  State  Mining  Bureau. 

CRANIAL    MEASUREMENTS. 

(Figures  i,  a  and  b.) 

Owing  to  the  dried  integument  and  facia  covering 
the  cranium,  accurate  measurements  of  the  skull  are  well 
nigh  impossible.  The  following  measurements,  how- 
ever, have  been  made  with  as  much  care  and  accuracy 
as  the  subject  permitted.  The  cranial  measurements 
are  as  follows: 

Circumference,  530  millimetres;  length  occipito 
frontal,  178  mm.;  breadth  bi-bregmatic,  140  mm.; 
breadth  of  frontal,  108  mm.;  height,  135  mm.;  facial 
angle,  71°. 

The  sutures  and  wormian  bones  can  not  be  inspected. 
The  maler  bones  are  quite  prominent  and  the  lower 
maxillary  and  face  may  be  classified  with  the  group, 
orthognathous. 

A  careful  study  of  this  mesocephalic  head  would  indi- 
cate that  its  possessor  was  of  more  than  average  intelli- 
gence. The  perceptives  are  well  developed.  And, 
although  the  animal  passions  undoubtedly  predominate, 
there  is  enough  veneration  or  religion  to  class  it  among 
the  scaphocephalic  skulls. 

Figure  2  (a  and  b)  represents  all  that  is  earthly  of 
what  was  once  a  woman  and  a  mother.  She  is  in  a 
better  state  of  preservation  than  the  preceding  body. 
F'rom  a  measurement  of  the  individual  bones,  she  would 
be  about  five  feet  five  inches  tall,  and  weighed,  perhaps, 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  one  hundred  and  seventy 
pounds.  The  body  weighs,  in  its  present  condition, 
only  twelve  pounds!     The  posture,  integument,  body. 


/ 


\  \ 


V 


f 


■ffj^ 


Fig.  2  a. 


X 


i 


Fig.  2  B. 


Bulletin  No.  I  11 


etc.,  resemble  the  one  previously  described.  A  rare 
chance  is  here  given  for  the  examination  of  the  internal 
organs  (see  Figure  2,  d),  owing  to  an  absence  of  integu- 
ment on  the  major  portion  of  the  right  side.  The  lungs 
resemble  a  dried  sponge  in  appearance,  and  the  heart 
looks  like  a  dried  piece  of  meat.  The  great  blood  ves- 
sels, and  the  abdominal  and  pelvic  viscera  can  be  ex- 
plored, and  with  the  exception  of  being  all  shriveled 
up,  there  is  no  anomaly,  either  in  position  or  arrange- 
ment. The  large,  oval  pelvis,  and  the  once  well  devel- 
oped mammae  bear  unmistakable  evidence  of  gestation. 
The  hands  and  feet  are  small  and  well  shaped;  the  foot 
measuring  only  two  hundred  and  fifteen  millimetres 
(about  eight  and  one  half  inches).  On  the  head  will  be 
seen  a  luxuriant  growth  of  hair,  which  centuries  have 
not  yet  succeeded  in  destroying.  It  is  very  fine  in 
texture,  of  a  dark  brown  color,  and  entirely  unlike  any 
Indian  hair  seen  to-day.  A  curious  feature  is  observed 
in  connection  with  the  small,  well  proportioned  ears, 
both  of  which  are  perfectly  preserved,  and  that  is,  in 
each  lobe  is  worn,  even  in  the  stillness  of  death,  a  piece 
of  hollow  bamboo  or  reed,  about  forty  millimetres  in 
length,  and  ten  millimetres  in  diameter.  This  was  likely 
considered  an  ornament  in  her  day.  Our  Indians  of 
to-day  pierce  the  helix  and  anti-helix  of  the  ear,  through 
which  holes  they  suspend  ornaments  of  different  kinds. 
The  single  perforation  in  the  lobe  of  this  mummified 
woman's  ear  would  indicate  a  custom  observed  by  her 
people,  similar  to  the  customs  in  vogue  in  the  more 
civilized  countries,  and  are  not  usually  observed  by 
Indians  of  our  own  period. 

The  windows  of  the  soul,  although  now  sightless  and 


12  California  State  Mining  Bureau. 

dim,  are  singularly  perfect,  presenting-  a  slightly  outward 
and  upward  obliquity  of  the  external  canthi. 

The  nose  is  also  quite  perfect,  and  inclined  to  be 
rather  broad  and  flat  than  thin  and  protruding.  The 
maler  bones  are  very  prominent.  The  lips  thin  and 
stiff,  and  the  tongue  dried  and  solid.  Two  central 
incisores  and  one  canine  of  the  superior  maxillary  are 
gone,  and  several  other  teeth  are  badly  caried. 

CRANIAL    MEASUREMENTS. 

(Figures  2,  a  and  b.) 

Here,  again,  the  same  difficulty  of  hair  and  dried 
integument  prevent  absolutely  accurate  measurements. 
The  skull  measures:  Circumference,  503  millimetres; 
length,  occipito  frontal,  166  mm.;  breadth,  bi-bregmatic, 
128  mm.;  breadth  of  frontal,  103  mm.;  height,  132 
mm.;  facial  angle,  69°. 

This  skull  presents  a  large  forehead  and  well  devel- 
oped reasoning  powers.  The  woman  was  likely  filled 
with  noble  instincts  and  motherly  kindness.  It  is  very 
rare  to  find  so  good  a  head  among  Indian  women  of 
to-day. 

Figure  3  is  the  mummified  remains  of  a  little  boy 
about  seven  years  old.  The  little  fellow  had  been  en- 
veloped in  his  burial  shrouds  the  same  as  the  larger 
bodies — hands  crossed  on  the  chest,  knees  doubled  on 
the  breast,  and  the  head  inclined  forward.  All  the 
bodies  were  likely  tied  in  this  position  when  placed  in 
the  cave.  The  body  is  about  three  feet  tall,  and  weighs 
now  only  three  pounds!  The  same  general  character- 
istics as  to  skin,  tissues,  bones,  etc.,  that  were  observed 


-'!?i/^:Si(K!^'i^'^f^^i€g^ 


* 


/      /I 


Fig.  3, 


Fig.  4. 


Bulletin  No,  I  13 


in  the  preceding  bodies,  may  also  be  seen  here.  The 
head  is  well  developed  for  a  boy  of  his  age.  The  hair 
has  been  broken  off  near  the  scalp.  Only  the  cartil- 
agenous  parts  of  the  ears  remain.  There  is  the  same 
contour  of  face — flat  nose,  high  cheek  bones,  outward 
obliquity  of  the  eyes,  etc.  The  upper  and  lower  inci- 
sores  and  canine  of  the  temporary  or  milk  teeth  are 
gone,  and  the  permanent  set  coming  at  their  roots  in 
the  alveolar  processes. 

The  two  anterior  molars  of  the  superior  maxillary 
are  just  appearing  through  the  alveolar  processes,  estab- 
lishing the  age  with  tolerable  accuracy  at  about  seven 
years. 

CRANIAL    MEASUREMENTS. 

In  circumference  the  skull  measures  440  millimeters; 
length,  occipito  frontal,  146  mm.;  breadth,  bi-bregmatic, 
1 20  mm. ;  breadth  of  frontal,  60  mm. ;  height,  1 14  mm. ; 
facial  angle,  71°. 

Considerable  of  his  burial  shrouds  remains  about  the 
body  yet.  The  major  portion  of  it  is  cotton  fabric, 
firmly  secured  around  the  body  by  a  stronger  cord, 
made  of  braided  hair. 

Figure  4  is  all  that  is  earthly  of  a  little  girl,  about 
fourteen  to  eighteen  months  of  age.  She  weighs  only 
a  pound  and  a  half! 

The  little  one  has  been  enveloped  in  an  animal's 
skin,  the  better  to  protect  its  tender  frame.  Both  feet 
are  gone,  and  the  tibiae  and  fibulae  protrude  through 
the  skin.  The  four  upper  and  four  lower  incisores, 
with  the  corresponding  canine  teeth,  have  made  their 
appearance,  showing  the  child  to  be  about  fourteen  to 


14  California  State  Mining  Bureau. 

eighteen  months  old.  Otherwise  the  same  features  are 
noticeable  in  this  as  in  the  preceding  figures. 

It  would  appear  that  the  group  of  four  belong  to  one 
family,  and  that  they  were  buried  by  friends,  and  her- 
metically sealed  in  this  cave  for  fear  of  some  real  or 
imaginary  foe.  It  may  have  been  at  the  time  of  the 
Spanish  invasion,  or  it  may  have  been  during  the  war- 
like times  anterior  to  this  date,  when  the  Aztec  con- 
federation was  warring  with  the  Toltec  people. 

From  their  physical  and  mental  developments  the 
race  seems  to  have  been  a  superior  one. 

The  facial  features  observed  in  these  bodies  are  not 
those  we  find  in  that  locality  now.  The  cranial  con- 
figurations and  physical  appearances  would  rather  favor 
Aztec  lineaments  than  those  of  our  Indian  of  to-day. 
The  fine  dark  brown  hair  is  certainly  not  Indian,  nor 
do  the  small  hands  and  feet  bear  much  resemblance  to 
the  huge  hands  and  feet  we  see  on  the  Indians  now  liv- 
ing. It  is  not  desired  to  be  understood  that  a  race  or 
classification  can  be  even  approximately  established  by 
the  measurements  of  a  few  crania;  for  it  can  not.  It 
only  aids  us  in  determining  that  particular  individual's 
peculiarities.  Too  many  ethnological  classifications 
have  been  advanced  on  the  measurements  of  a  few 
skulls  and  on  the  descriptions  of  a  few  bodies.  Meas- 
ure, for  example,  a  few  skulls  of  any  race,  and  see  how 
much  they  differ  in  the  very  essentials  of  capacity,  cir- 
cumference, length,  breadth,  height,  facial  angle,  etc., 
that  go  far  in  the  classification  of  ethnologists.  We 
may  draw  attention  to  the  similarity  existing  between 
these  bodies  and  the  Asiatics,  for  instance,  but  we  can- 
not a  priori  establish  a  relationship,  nor  can  we  posi- 


Bulletin  No.  I  Id 


tively  determine  from  our  present  data  that  these  bodies 
are  Toltecs  or  Aztecs,  however  much  our  own  views 
may  favor  such  a  theory. 

BURIAL    SHROUDS. 

The  fabrics  found  on  the  bodies,  forming  the  burial 
shrouds,  are  chiefly  composed  of  cotton,  hair,  hide, 
grasses,  and  the  bark  of  willows.  The  cotton  is  twisted 
and  coarsely  woven,  each  thread  being  from  a  half  to 
one  millimetre  in  diameter.  The  hair  is  treated  in  like 
manner  occasionally,  although  usually  it  is  braided  with 
three  or  four  divisions  in  each  cord.  Frequently  we 
find  strong  strands  made  of  strips  of  hide  covered  with 
willow  bark. 

Although  the  weaving  of  this  interesting  people  is 
that  known  as  the  ''plain"  process,  that  is,  where  the 
weft  passes  alternately  under  and  over  the  threads  of 
the  warp,  producing  more  or  less  open  mesh  cloth,  yet 
considerable  skill  and  ingenuity  were  observed  in  the 
manufacturing  of  their  blankets,  mats,  and  ornamental 
cloths,  which  were  frequently  interwoven  with  beads  and 
[colored  threads,  presenting  various  designs.  Grasses 
and  straws  were  also  woven  into  mats  and  cloths,  which 
were  of  great  durability.  The  skins  of  animals  were 
also  used  for  clothing  purposes. 

OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE  INFANCY  OF  THE  INTELLECTUAL 

RACES. 

The  origin  of  the  human  family  has  ever  been  shrouded 
[in  the  deepest  of  mysteries.  Scholars  of  the  first  emi- 
[nence  have  given  to  the  world  the  results  of  their  re- 


k 


16  California  State  Mining  Bureau. 

searches,  but,  unfortunately,  no  two  of  them  are  agreed. 
We  may  accept  any  one  of  the  three  prominent  hypoth- 
eses, each  one  of  which  has  been  so  ably  advocated,  from 
the  days  of  Camper  and  Blumenbach,  down  to  our  own 
time. 

The  first,  or  special  creation  theory,  is  that  of  the 
monogenists.  It  teaches  that  Adam  and  Eve  were 
created  in  the  alluvial  valleys  of  Asia,  and  brings  to  its 
aid  the  records  of  holy  writ.  Many  of  the  most  re- 
nowned ethnologists  and  thinkers  of  the  age  support 
this  hypothesis.  Anatomically  considered,  there  is  no 
difference  between  a  Caucasian  and  an  Ethiopian,  or  a 
Caucasian  and  an  Indian,  except,  perhaps,  the  contour 
of  the  skull  and  face,  stature,  etc.  Bone  for  bone,  how- 
ever, they  are  anatomically  alike.  It  is  observed  that 
climate,  habits,  etc.,  account  largely  for  the  difference 
in  the  color  of  the  skin,  texture  of  the  hair,  etc.,  and 
true  it  is,  a  vine  grown  in  the  dark  is  found  to  be 
translucent,  and  almost  colorless.  Likewise  the  bear 
is  white  in  the  Arctic  region,  brown  in  the  temperate, 
and  black  at  the  equator,  although  anatomically  allied. 

Man,  unlike  animals,  the  monogenists  claim,  is  a  direct 
issue  of  the  creative,  or  divine  power,  and  that  the 
Hebraic  record  is  the  only  solution  of  the  origin  of 
things. 

The  polygenistic,  or  second  theory  of  the  creation  of 
man,  teaches  us  that  there  was  not  only  one,  but  that 
there  were  i"^z/^r^/ special  creations — one  for  each  race, 
and  that  climatic  surroundings  do  not  account  for  all 
the  diversities  and  differences  found  in  the  human  race. 
The  learned  ethnological  authorities  advocating  the 
polygenistic  theory,  argue  that  the  Mosaic  account  is 


Bulletin  No.  1.  17 


'  These  authorities,  although  directly  antagonistic  in  many 
of  their  views,  must  be  received  with  due  respect,  owing 
to  the  distinguished  positions  they  have  earned  in  the 
many  branches  of  anthropology. 

During  the  last  fifty  or  hundred  years  these  two  prom- 
inent theories  have  not  materially  changed. 

The  third  hypothesis,  that  of  evolution,  is  of  more 
recent  birth,  and  although  it  may  be  more  repugnant  to 
the  quasi  scientific  mind,  it  is  nevertheless  truly  scien- 
tific. We  are  all  more  or  less  familiar  with  the  evolu- 
tion of  life  as  witnessed  in  the  infusorial  animalcula  in 
water,  spores  in  the  air,  generation  of  fungi  in  cereals, 
and  birth,  as  it  were,  rising  out  of  death.  In  a  few 
hours  a  decayed  cabbage  head,  or  a  putrescent  piece  of 
meat,  under  favorable  conditions  of  temperature  and 
moisture,  will  teem  with  new  life.  It  is  not  desired  to 
be  understood  that  an  extreme  view  of  evolution  is  ad- 
vocated, or  even  implied,  for  it  is  not  believed  possible 
to  evolve,  generate,  or  create  organic  life  in  the  labora- 
tory out  of  inorganic  elements.  The  ^gg  whose  germi- 
nal vesicle  has  not  been  fertilized  by  the  male  bird 
cannot  bring  forth  a  chick,  nor  can  inorganic  atoms 
bring  forth  organic  life. 

Through  countless  ages,  natural  selection,  the  survi- 
val of  the  fittest,  continual  advancement,  development, 
and  improvement  have  at  last  evolved  man  in  his  pres- 
ent condition.  The  human  species  has  reached  its 
ultimatum  of  physical  perfection.  ^Y\\^  fixity  oi  type  is 
stamped  on  the  human  embryo  long  before  it  is  discov- 
erable by  man.  Naturalists  point  out  the  anatomical 
similarity  between  man  and  beast.  In  his  embryonic 
2 


18  California  State  Mining  Bureau. 

state  man  cannot  be  differentiated  from  the  wolf  or  the 
horse  by  the  most  powerful  microscope  or  by  the  most 
delicate  analysis.  The  germs  of  the  embryos  of  the 
tortoise  at  the  fourth  week,  the  chick  at  the  fourth  day, 
the  dog  at  the  fourth  week,  and  man  at  the  fourth  week, 
are  alike  insusceptible  of  differential  demonstration. 
Physiologically  and  chemically  they  are  identical.  In- 
deed bold  thinkers  of  the  present  day  assert  that  man 
is  not  a  biped,  and  that  his  natural  mode  of  locomotion 
is  on  four  instead  of  on  two  limbs.  T\\^  foramen  i7iag- 
nwn  would  certainly  indicate  that  the  head  was  origi- 
nally in  a  horizontal  relation  to  the  vertebrae,  and  the 
sacrum  and  coccyx  bear  a  strong  resemblance  to  the 
caudal  extremity  in  animals. 

ETHNOLOGICAL    CLASSIFICATIONS. 

On  the  next  stepping-stone — ethnology,  or  the  science 
which  treats  of  the  classification  or  races  of  man— we 
find  monogenists,  polygenists,  and  evolutionists,  again 
trying  to  unite  their  forces  in  analyzing  and  classifying 
humanity. 

Thus  we  find  that  Virey  gives  only  two  races  of  men 
on  the  globe.  Cuvier  makes  three.  Linnaeus  increases 
them  to  four.  The  great  Blumenbach  issues  five,  Buffon 
six,  Peschel  seven,  and  the  renowned  Agassiz  eight 
different  races.  Pickering  comes  with  eleven,  afid  the 
learned  Fredrich  Muller  assures  us  that  there  are  twelve. 
Bory  de  St.  Vincent  sees  fifteen.  Americas  greatest 
anthropologist,  Morton,  increases  the  number  to  twenty- 
two,  while  Crawford  has  sixty  and  Burke  sixty-three 
special  creations.  These  classifiers  represent  the  high- 
est authority  of  which  the  world  can  boast,  men  who 


Bulletin  No.  I  19 


have  devoted  their  Hves  and  powerful  intellects  to  the 
intricate  problem.  Doubtless  they  would  all  agree  had 
they  adopted  the  same  standard  of  comparison,  but  one 
distinguishes  a  race  by  geographical  location;  another 
by  language,  habits,  and  mental  traits;  another  by 
stature,  contour  of  skull  and  face;  another  proposes  the 
color  of  the  skin,  and  still  another  the  texture  of  the 
hair;  while  the  most  acute  observers  combine  all  the 
distinctions  and  characteristics,  and  still  they  give  us 
from  hvo  to  sixty  different  human  races.         ^ulter  Ij^    ry 

Adopting  whatever  classification  you  may,  and  ac-  ■ 

cepting  whichever  theory  of  creation  you  will,  we  can 
almost  admit  that  there  is  not  as  much  difference  be- 
tween the  higher  forms  of  apes  and  the  lower  forms  of 
savages  as  there  is  known  to  exist  between  the  highest 
and  the  lowest  forms  of  humanity,  when  we  look  at  the 
races  existing  to-day  on  nearly  all  parts  of  the  globe. 
If  the  poor  miserable  savages  are  not  actually  below 
the  brute  creation,  they  are  certainly  not  very  far  above 
it.  Look  at  the  Fuegian,  for  instance,  crawling  .from 
the  lair  in  which  he  lies,  coiled  up  like  an  animal  on 
the  wet  ground,  to  gather  the  food  on  which  he  sub- 
sists, mussels  and  berries,  whenever  hunger  demands 
it.  On  state  occasions  they  vary  their  bill  of  fare  by 
killing  and  eating  their  old  women.  Their  language  is 
an  inarticulate  clacking.  The  negroes  of  New  Guinea 
live  on  the  trees,  and  spring  from  branch  to  branch, 
like  monkeys,  gesticulating,  screaming,  and  laughing, 
and  eke  out  their  living  on  the  indigenous  fruits,  as  do 
the  apes  themselves.  The  Alforese  of  Ceram  also  live 
in  trees,  like  the  birds,  each  family  being  in  perpetual 
hostility  with  every  other  family,  human  and  animal. 


20  California  State  Mining  Bureau. 


The  forest  tribes  of  Malacca  communicate  by  means  of 
noises  very  similar  to  the  native  birds.  Again,  the 
Dyaks  hunt  and  kill  the  wild  people  of  Borneo  as  if 
they  were  monkeys.  The  cannibal  Fans  of  equatorial 
Africa  bury  their  corpses  for  several  days  before  they 
eat  them. 

In  Chinese  cities  rats  are  sold  at  fifty  cents  per  dozen 
for  the  table.  The  hind  quarters  of  the  dog  command 
a  higher  price  than  those  of  lamb  or  mutton.  In  Brazil 
ants  are  eaten  alive  with  resinous  and  spicy  sauces.  In 
Africa  they  are  stewed  in  grease.  The  East  Indians 
catch  the  ant  in  pits  and  wash  them  in  handfuls,  and 
eat  them.  One  of  the  most  costly  dishes  in  Siam  is  a 
curry  made  of  ants'  eggs.  Shrimps  are  eaten  alive  by 
the  Sandwich  Islanders.  The  Singalese  eat  the  bees 
after  robbing  them  of  their  honey. 

The  negroes  of  the  West  Indies  eat  baked  snakes 
and  worms  fried  in  fat.  In  the  Pacific  Islands  lizards 
and  their  eggs  are  considered  wholesome.  Roasted 
spiders  are  used  for  dessert  by  the   New  Caledonians. 

A  pigmy  race  in  South  Abyssinia,  the  Dokos,  grow 
their  nails  like  the  talons  of  the  vulture  to  enable  them 
to  dig  up  ants  and  tear  in  pieces  the  flesh  of  serpents, 
both  delicacies  which  they  eat  raw.  Most  any  animal 
compares  favorably  with  the  fierce  Bosjesman,  whose 
diet  is  composed  of  worms,  beetles,  and  pismires,  unless 
he  can  share  with  the  hyena  the  putrid  carcass  of  a  buf- 
falo or  an  antelope.  A  gibberish  speech,  like  the  growl- 
ing of  a  mad  dog,  is  the  language  of  the  Yamparico, 
who  lives  on  roots,  crickets,  and  different  species  of 
bugs.  The  aborigines  of  Victoria  live  on  roots,  grubs, 
mushrooms,  and  frogs,  with  an  occasional  feast  in  the 


Bulletin  No,  I  21 


shape  of  a  new  born  baby,  killed,  roasted,  and  eaten  by 
the  parents  and  friends.  The  locust  plague  on  the 
Pacific  Coast  in  1875,  sent  by  the  Great  Spirit,  was  a 
source  of  worshipful  thanksgiving  to  the  Digger  In- 
dians, who  dug  large  pits,  swarmed  them  full  of  locusts, 
which  they  killed,  dried,  and  ground  to  powder  in  their 
stone  mortars,  and  thus  laid  in  a  store  of  food  which 
lasted  them  for  several  years. 

The  Russians  use  the  fermented  liquid  of  cabbage 
for  their  beverage.  It  is  called  ''quass,"  and  may  be 
described  as  resembling  in  taste  a  mixture  of  stale  fish, 
washed  in  soapsuds;  and  next  to  beer,  more  civilized  (?) 
people  drink  it,  than  any  other  beverage. 

After  they  have  wound  the  silk  from  the  cocoon,  the 
Chinese  eat  the  chrysalis  of  the  silkworm.  In  Mexico, 
parrots  are  eaten,  and  in  the  Argentine  Republic,  skunks 
are  much  sought  after  for  the  table.  The  African  bush- 
men  are  very  fond  of  spiders,  and  caterpillars  are  very 
dainty  and  costly. 

The  most  ghastly  ornamentation  I  have  known  is 
worn  by  the  houseless,  mischievous,  and  vindictive 
Andamer;  it  consists  of  a  row  of  skulls,  worn  around 
the  naked  necks  of  this  form  of  humanity.  The  Ban- 
naks  wear  lumps  of  fat  meat,  artistically  suspended  from 
the  cartilages  of  the  nose. 

It  seems,  indeed,  hard  for  us  to  look  back  upon  our 
ancestors,  as  a  miserable  anthropophagous  population, 
maintaining  an  inglorious  struggle  with  the  powers  of 
nature,  wrestling  with  naked  bodies  against  the  forest 
animals,  and  frequently  forced  to  dispute  their  cave 
dwellings  with  the  hyena  and  the  wolf,  and  yet  we  have 
but  to  look  at  the  leather-skinned  Hottentot,  whose  hair 


2.2.  »  California  State  Mining  Bureau. 

grows  in  short  tufts,  with  bare  scalp  between,  and  is 
only  a  creature  of  passions,  feelings,  and  appetites. 

Look  at  the  wild  people  of  Borneo,  the  Negrilloes, 
of  Armanga;  the  Battas,  of  Sumatra;  the  hairy  Ainos, 
of  Jesso;  the  Hyglous,  of  the  White  Nile;  the  Aborig- 
ines, of  India;  and  even  the  Cagots,  and  other  man- 
dities  of  France  and  Spain.  These  species,  and  we 
must  call  them  human,  with  squalid  habits,  ugly  and 
deformed  heads,  hideous  aspect,  and  prognathous  faces, 
have  probably  lived  as  long,  and  perhaps  longer,  than 
the  Caucasians;  and,  as  Darwin  observes,  they  are  sup- 
posed to  enjoy  a  sufficient  share  of  happiness  and  com- 
fort (of  whatever  kind  it  may  be)  to  render  life  worth 
having. 

Many  races  on  different  parts  of  the  globe  attribute 
their  origin,  not  to  the  gods  or  demigods,  not  even  to 
lions,  as  do  the  Sahos,  or  to  goats,  as  do  the  Dagalis, 
not  to  the  sun  or  moon,  as  do  many  of  the  Pacific  Coast 
tribes,  but  to  apes.  This  has  been  the  cherished  belief 
for  ages  among  the  Miantsee  or  aborigines  of  China,  a 
country  whose  boasts  of  creation  antedates  ours  by  many 
thousands  of  years.  The  Thibetans  and  many  African 
tribes  also  lay  claim  to  the  ape  as  a  forefather. 

Whilst  not  advocating  evolution  per  se,  we  are  al- 
most forced  to  admit  its  possibility  on  purely  scientific 
grounds,  even  to  the  extent  of  evolving  man  through  the 
countless  ages  of  the  earth  s  existence,  out  of — not  inor- 
ganic atoms  or  molecules,  but  out  of  flesh  and  blood,  by 
the  aid  of  the  All-wise  Creative  power.  As  Professor  Le 
Conte  says:  *'  I  believe  that  the  spirit  of  man  was  devel- 
oped out  of  the  anima  or  conscious  spirit  of  animals, 
and  that  this,  again,  was  developed  out  of  lowest  forms 


» 


Bulletin  No,  1.  23 


of  life-force,  and  this  in  turn  out  of  the  chemical  and 
physical  forces  of  nature;  and  that  at  certain  stages  in 
this  gradual  development,  viz.,  with  man,  it  acquired 
the  property  of  immortality  precisely  as  it  now,  in  the 
individual  history  of  each  man  at  a  certain  stage,  ac- 
quires the  capacity  of  abstract  thought." 

The  following  striking  example  shows  what  can  be 
done  in  one  generation  in  the  way  of  transforming  a 
land  animal  into  one  capable  of  living  entirely  in  water. 
By  taking  the  embryo  of  the  land  salamander  out  of  its 
Qgg  and  keeping  it  in  water  at  a  moderate  temperature, 
abundantly  supplied  with  oxygen,  and  amply  fed  with 
small  living  water  animals,  its  organism  will  change. 
The  embryo  inhales  the  oxygen  held  between  the  mole- 
cules of  water,  and  not  the  atmosphere,  like  its  parents, 
breathing  with  lungs.  The  embryonic  lungs  therefore 
remain  undeveloped,  but,  by  way  of  compensation, 
small  gills  will  appear  on  each  side  of  its  head.  This 
function  of  breathing  by  the  gills  will  gradually  increase 
as  the  body  grows.  Feeling  the  necessity  to  swim  and 
not  to  creep  as  do  its  land  parents,  the  four  extremities 
become  mere  rudimentary  appendages,  while,  on  the 
other  hand,  a  vigorous  rudder  tail  develops.  The  new 
function  of  swimming  calls  forth  fins,  and  the  animal 
actually  develops  new  organs  which  the  parents  did  not 
possess.  This  is  a  simple  experiment  which  can  be  ac- 
complished by  any  one  with  a  little  trouble.  Thus  we 
find  substantially  a  new  animal  is  produced  which  else- 
where does  not  exist.  This  proves  that  new  organs 
and  new  functions  are  developed  when  necessary  to  the 
individual's  existence  ;  in  other  words,  evolution,  pure 
and  simple. 


24  California  State  Mining  Bureau. 


There  is  nothing  incompatible  or  inconsistent  in  such 
a  view  with  the  Mosaic  records;  and  I  am  proud  to  say 
that  the  days  of  theological  narrow-mindedness  and 
denunciation  of  scientific  truths  are  happily  disappear- 
ing, and  seeking  as  true  an  investigating  channel  as 
does  the  snow  on  the  mountain  side  under  the  influence 
of  the  sun's  rays  seek  the  proper  channel  for  its  spark- 
ling waters. 

The  three  great  Bishops  of  the  Church  of  England 
(1887)  are  the  pioneers  in  this  noble  line  of  inquiry^ — 
development  (evolution).  An  extract  from  one  will 
suffice:  "'^  *  '"  And  to  what  are  we  indebted  for 
that  potent  word,  which,  as  the  wand  of  a  magician, 
has  at  the  same  moment  so  completely  transformed  our 
knowledge,  and  dispelled  our  difficulties?  To  modern 
science,  resolutely  pursuing  its  search  for  truth,  in  spite 
of  popular  obloquy,  and — alas !  that  one  should  have  to 
say  it — in  spite,  too,  often  of  theological  denunciation." 
[Bishop  of  Manchester. 


SOME  OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE  ORIGIN  OF  THE 
ABORIGINES  OF  THE  PACIFIC  COAST. 


The  origin  of  our  Western  Indians,  like  that  of  all 
the  other  American  aborigines,  is  shrouded  in  as  much 
darkness  and  as  many  uncertainties  as  the  origin  of  the 
human  family  itself.  Nearly  every  nation,  and  almost 
every  country,  has  claimed  for  itself  ancestral  relation- 
ship to  our  American  Indian.  Authorities  advance  the 
opinion  that  the  red  man  is  a  descendant  of  the  ten  lost 
tribes  of  Israel.  Others,  that  the  Indians  are  Phoeni- 
cian merchants.  Scandinavia,  Iceland,  and  Greenland 
lay  very  strong  claim  to  them.  Japanese  junks  are  said 
to  have  wafted  across  the  ocean  and  struck  on  these 
western  shores  and  peopled  America.  Carthaginians 
are  said  to  have  shipwrecked  on  the  eastern  coast.  The 
Polynesian  Islands,  Australia,  Africa,  and  Asia  alike 
receive  their  quota;  but  before  we  accept  any  of  the 
traditions,  or  even  the  most  popular  of  these,  viz.:  that 
one  or  two  races,  springing  from  the  banks  of  the  river 
Oxus,  in  the  alluvial  valleys  of  Asia,  wandered  here  and 
there  by  land  and  by  sea,  and  thus  peopled  the  whole 
world,  let  us  listen  to  the  aborigines  of  America  them- 
selves, who  furnish  us  with  many  interesting  and  re- 
markable accounts  of  their  own  origin,  which,  in  some 
respects,  simulate  that  of  the  civilized  races.  Take, 
for  example,  the  Maya  or  Quiche  empire,  which  was  in 
a  high  state  of  civilization  at  the  time  of  the  Christian 
era.      Extensive  and  complicated  political  and  religious 


26  California  State  Mining  Bureau. 

observances  were  in  vogue,  massive  temples  were  reared, 
and  the  priests  and  kings  had  full  sway. 

The  Quiche  nation  is,  perhaps,  richest  in  mythology. 
Their  version  of  creation  is  as  follows : 

The  Great  Spirit,  having,  by  one  word,  created  this 
globe  out  of  the  clouds,  having  created  all  the  flora  and 
fauna,  and  made  this  earth  like  heaven  itself,  and,  being 
justly  proud  of  His  work,  He  commanded  the  creatures 
to  send  forth  praise  and  thanksgiving  for  their  existence. 
But,  no;  the  dumb  brutes  failed  to  obey  the  mandate. 
The  Great  Spirit,  becoming  angry  at  such  ingratitude, 
cursed  the  animals,  relegating  them  to  have  their  flesh 
torn  from  their  bones,  and  be  killed  and  eaten.  (Hence 
the  origin  of  eating  animal  flesh.)  Having  satisfied  his 
wrath,  the  cloud  God  called  a  council,  and  it  was  arranged 
to  make  man,  that  he  might  sing  praises  to  his  Creator. 
Accordingly,  man  was  made  of  clay,  and  much  was  ex- 
pected of  him.  When,  however,  it  was  time  for  praise 
service,  the  clay  man  was  found  to  be  without  volition 
or  speech.  This  greatly  enraged  the  cloud  gods,  and 
the  poor  clay  man  was  ordered  to  be  instantly  killed. 
He  was,  accordingly,  drowned  forthwith. 

After  long  and  careful  deliberation,  another  man  was 
made.  This  time  of  wood,  as  the  clay  was  considered 
too  heavy.  A  woman  was  also  made  to  keep  him  com- 
pany. Although  the  man  was  wooden,  his  companion 
was  made  of  pitch — a  good  combination.  Every  thing 
went  well  for  awhile,  and  the  moon,  who  now  took  a 
hand  in  creation,  peopled  the  whole  world  with  wooden 
manikins.  Intelligence  seems  to  have  been  at  a  low 
ebb,  for  our  wooden  kingdom  soon  forgot  to  sing  praises 
to  the  clouds,  whereupon  the  Heart  of  Heaven  became 


Bulletin  No,  I  27 


very  much  angered,  and  rained  //i/c/c,  hot  resin  night 
and  day  on  the  poor  wooden  men  and  women,  and  killed 
them  all,  excepting  a  very  few  penitent  ones.  These 
surviving  few  may  be  seen  to  this  day,  living  in  the  for- 
est in  happiness,  never  forgetting  to  sing  praises  to  their 
cloud  Gods.  These  wooden  people  are  known  to  this 
day  as  apes  or  monkeys.  After  these  several  trials  the 
Great  Spirit  was  discouraged,  and  creation  was  given  up 
for  awhile.  Nevertheless,  at  length  His  wrath  sub- 
sided, and  the  other  gods  prevailed  upon  Him  to  try 
once  more  his  creative  power.  This  time  man  was 
to  be  made  as  nearly  perfect  as  the  gods  themselves. 
The  Great  Master  accordingly  made  four  men  and  four 
women  out  of  yellow  and  white  maize,  which  grew 
abundantly  on  the  earth  in  the  meantime.  These  new 
corn  people  gave  general  satisfaction,  and  their  Creator 
has  permitted  them  to  people  the  world. 

The  Aztecs  were  created  in  an  entirely  different 
manner.  Their  account  of  creation  is  in  this  wise: 
The  God  and  Goddess  in  the  sky  were  blessed  with  a 
male  offspring  in  the  shape  of  a  flint  knife.  Having 
several  other  children  in  their  heavenly  abode,  it  was 
feared  that  this  hard-hearted  flint  son  would  do  mis- 
chief, and  to  secure  the  serenity  of  heaven  His  Flint 
Majesty  was  cast  out  of  the  clouds  forever.  Tn  his 
aerial  flight,  the  Flint  Son  of  God  fell  into  the  seven 
caves  on  this  earth  and  dashed  into  six  thousand  and 
six  hundred  pieces.  Immediately  there  sprang  up  six 
thousand  and  six  hundred  demigods  from  the  pieces  of 
the  Flint  Son.  That  they  might  have  servants  and 
companions  as  became  their  rank,  the  mother  Goddess 
was  implored.     She  directed  them  to  make  application 


28  California  State  Mining  Bureau. 

to  Hades  for  a  bone  and  when  obtained  to  sprinkle  It 
with  their  own  blood.  One  of  the  most  valiant  was 
forthwith  sent  to  the  Infernal  region  to  crave  a  bone 
from  his  Satanic  Highness.  It  appears  that  this 
domain  was  already  well  supplied  with  bones,  and  tra- 
dition has  it  that  prior  to  this  present  creation  the  earth 
was  peopled  with  giants,  but  the  cloud  Gods  sent  them 
all  to  the  lower  regions,  hence  the  supply  of  bones 
there.  The  bone  was  obtained  by  the  messenger,  but 
owing  to  some  slight  misunderstanding  with  the  keeper 
of  Hades  a  hasty  retreat  was  deemed  expedient,  and  a 
fall  caused  the  bone  to  break,  so  that  when  earth  was 
again  reached  only  a  handful  of  bone  was  left.  The 
few  pieces,  however,  were  carefully  sprinkled  with 
blood  and  in  a  few  days  a  pretty  little  maiden  sprang 
up  from  each  little  splinter.  Thus  do  the  Aztecs  boast 
of  their  genealogy  from  both  God  and  the  Devil. 

According  to  the  Tezcucan  annals  the  sun  sent  a 
dart — one  of  its  beams — through  the  earth  In  Mexico, 
thereby  producing  a  large  hole,  out  of  which  man 
sprung,  full  grown. 

The  Hyperboreans  attribute  their  origin  to  our  com- 
mon canine.  The  Neeshenam  were  created  by  the 
moon. 

Plants  and  animals  are  worshiped  as  creators.  Old 
Sol  comes  In  for  his  share  of  the  praise  of  creation 
among  several  of  the  aborigines. 

The  tribes  of  Lower  California  believe  that  their 
souls  retreat  to  some  of  the  verdant  Isles  of  the  sea, 
there  to  await  the  birth  of  some  infant,  whose  body  is 
occupied  by  the  departed  spirit. 

Many  of  these  creative  myths  resemble  those  of  the 


Bulletin  No.  I  29 


old  world,  especially  the  Asiatic,  which  may  point  to 
Asia,  as  Mr.  Powers  remarks,  as  the  probable  origin  of 
some  of  our  aborigines. 

From  the  language,  our  American  aborigines  may 
be  of  common  origin,  either  indigenous  or  foreign,  or 
they  may  be  from  widely  different  sources  and  races,  as 
we  have  on  the  Pacific  Coast  alone  over  six  hundred 
different  tongues. 

Language  has  latterly  gained  much  ground  as  a 
crucial  test  in  the  determination  of  the  origin  of  races. 
Taken  conjointly  with  craniology,  facial  angles,  stature, 
color  of  skin,  microscopical  structure  of  the  hair^  and 
geographical  distribution,  it  certainly  must  add  mate- 
rially to  these  data.  Taken  singly,  care  must  be  ex- 
ercised, or  the  errors  will  be  as  glaring  as  those  fre- 
quently committed  by  craniologists  when  they  pronounce 
crania  as  belonging  to  this  or  that  race,  by  merely  ex- 
amining half  a  dozen  skulls. 

Probably  the  most  reasonable  view  to  take  of  the 
origin  of  the  aborigines  is  this:  That  different  parts  of 
the  Western  Hemisphere  were  peopled  by  different 
races  or  nations,  or  if  we  accept  the  polygenistic  theory 
of  creation,  why  the  Indian  was  created  contemporane- 
ously with  Adam  and  Eve.  Evolution  can  help  us  out 
still  more,  for  the  same  process  that  was  going  on  in 
the  old  world  may  also  have  gone  on  in  the  new,  the 
geological  advantages  remaining  on  American  soil. 

People  the  new  world  as  you  please,  subdivide  the 
aborigines  according  to  any  ethnological  data  you  will, 
and  I  believe  it  will  appear  quite  within  speculative 
bounds  to  consider  Anahuacs  or  Toltecs  and  Aztecs  of 
Asiatic  origin. 


80  California  State  Mining  Bureau. 

Their  fragmentary  history,  and  pictorial  writings  would 
indicate  that  they  came  from  the  far  northwest.  If  the 
Toltec  and  Mayo-Quiche  empires  flourished  and  rivaled 
in  splendor  and  culture,  in  the  magnificence  of  their 
temples  and  palaces,  and  in  their  complicated  systems 
of  religion  and  politics,  those  of  the  old  world  at  the 
beginning  of  the  Christian  era,  as  it  is  claimed  they  did, 
then  all  must  admit  that  it  would  have  taken  thousands 
of  years  to  perfect  or  evolve  such  systematic  govern- 
ments. 

Several  similar  characteristics  can  be  traced  to  the 
Aztecs  and  the  Asiatics,  and  indeed  the  Malays  and 
Egyptians.  Similar  cranial  contours  and  measurements. 
The  hair  on  the  head  and  the  universal  absence  of 
beards  and  the  scanty  supply  of  hair  on  other  parts  of 
the  body.  Small  hands  and  feet.  The  basic  axis  of 
the  skull  is  short,  flattened  occiput  and  scaphocepha- 
lous crania.  Prominent  cheek  bones.  Outward  and 
upward  obliquity  of  eyes.  The  nose  is  rather  broad 
than  prominent, — color  of  the  skin,  and  stature  gen- 
erally. 

It  is  certainly  within  speculative  bounds  to  consider 
the  Eskimos  or  Innuits,  Chukchees  (Tsau-chu)  and 
Chukluk-Mut  inhabiting  Eastern  Siberia;  the  Okee-og- 
Mut,  inhabiting  the  islands  of  Behrings  Straits;  the 
Aleuts-Aziag-Muts,  etc.,  Kaviag-Mut;  the  Tinneh- 
Koyu-Kukhotana,  Tenan-Kut-Chien,  etc.,  and  the  Tlin- 
kets-Chilk-aht-Kwan,  Sitka- Kwan,  etc.,  inhabiting 
American  soil,  of  common  stock,  modified  in  the  course 
of  centuries  by  their  pursuits,  mode  of  living,  environ- 
ments, etc. 

It  would,  also,  be  quite  natural   for  these   people  to 


Bulletin  No.  2.  31 


migrate  southward  to  a  warmer  climate  and  more  pro- 
ductive soil,  and  thus  extend  along  the  coast  to  Mexico 
and  Central  America.  This  southward  migration  of 
northern  tribes  does  take  place.  The  scientific  world 
is  pretty  well  agreed  that  man  has  inhabited  this  globe 
at  least  one  hundred  thousand  years  in  his  present  form. 
As  many  geological  and  morphological,  as  well  as  topo- 
graphical changes  have  occurred  within  the  known 
period  of  four  thousand  years,  may  it  not  also  be  pos- 
sible that  America  and  Asia  were  united  by  land  at 
some  time  during  this  vast  period  ? 

It  has  been  suggested  to  my  mind  that  the  Pacific 
Islands,  Hawaii,  Friendly,  etc.,  bear  evidence  of  this 
union  at  a  period  when  the  American  continent  was 
but  a  few  islands  in  a  vast  ocean.  In  that  event  inter- 
communication was  not  impossible,  nor  w^ould  it  be 
were  the  Pacific  twice  as  broad  as  it  is  now. 

We  can  also  trace  some  similarity  between  certain 
religious  rites.  I  will  mention  but  one  or  two.  Many 
of  the  American  aborigines  bury  their  dead  and  supply 
the  graves  with  food  and  drink  for  months  and  years. 
The  wily  Chinese  spread  a  sumptuous  repast  when  a 
notable  dies  and  place  large  sums  of  money  near  the 
dead  to  pay  his  way  with  in  the  next  world;  of  recent 
date,  however,  the  living  eat  the  food  and  spiritualize 
the  money  in  the  shape  of  counterfeit  to  swindle  the 
devil.  This  can  be  seen  at  any  time  at  a  Chinese 
funeral.  The  counterfeit  money  is  thrown  along  the 
road  that  the  devil  may  stop  to  pick  it  up  and  so  allow 
the  Celestial  to  be  buried  in  peace. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF  THE  PACIFIC  COAST 
ABORIGINES. 


In  the  sixth  century  we  find  the  Anahuac  nation 
enjoying  a  high  state  of  civilization.  Their  traditions 
and  pictorals  tell  us  they  came  from  the  far  north.  The 
pictorals,  yet  extant,  are  printed  on  long  strips  of  cot- 
ton and  prepared  skins  with  bright  red  paint.  They 
also  carved  on  wood  and  stone.  They  built  palaces, 
temples,  and  large  cities. 

In  the  eleventh  century  the  Chichlmecs  and  Aztecs, 
also  coming  from  the  far  north,  drove  out  the  Toltecs 
(who  went  farther  south)  and  occupied  the  vanquished 
country.  The  Aztecs  from  ''Aztlan,"  the  name  of 
their  ancient  abode,  or  'Tztac,"  meaning  white,  soon 
gained  supremacy,  and  although  the  Toltecs  occupied  a 
larger  extent  of  country  and  attained  a  far  higher  de- 
gree of  civilization,  the  Aztecs  left  us  the  best  Ameri- 
can language  and  the  most  complete  history. 

Large  pyramids  were  erected  at  Cholula  and  Teotl- 
huacan,  probably  near  the  Christian  era,  certainly  prior 
to  the  sixth  century. 

Tenochtitlan,  or  Mexico,  was  founded  early  In  the 
fourteenth  century  by  the  Aztecs.  Traditionally,  all  the 
Aztec  confederation,  or  Mexican  races,  came  from  the 
far  northwest,  and  It  is  computed  by  the  best  authorities 
we  have,  that  prior  to  the  Christian  era,  as  high  a  state 
of  civilization  existed  In  Mexico  and  Central  America 
as  could  be  found  on  any  other  part  of  the  globe. 

At  the  Spanish  invasion  the  Aztecs  occupied  large 


Bulletin  No.  1.  38 


cities,  with  magnificent  temples  and  palaces,  parks  and 
L^ardens,  and  enjoyed  a  superior  system  of  politics,  and 
advanced  religious  views  for  the  age. 

The  splendor  of  Montezuma's  empire  rivaled  the  ori- 
entals. His  palaces  were  decorated  with  solid  gold  and 
silver,  and  inlaid  with  precious  stones.  His  family  and 
household  numbered  several  thousands,  among  whom 
may  be  mentioned  one  thousand  wives,  and  almost  as 
laree  a  number  of  concubines.  The  customs  and  cere- 
monies  of  this  powerful  people  are  very  unique  and 
interesting,  but  want  of  space  precludes  more  than  a 
brief  outline  of  some  of  their  ceremonies  attending  the 
death  and  funeral  rites. 

When  an  Aztec  of  note  was  taken  ill,  the  medicine 
man,  relatives,  and  family  were  sent  for,  and  solemn 
council  was  held.  The  simpler  remedies  of  indigenous 
herbs,  etc.,  were  given.  If  these  failed  and  a  fatal  issue 
was  threatening,  perhaps  the  "sweat  house"  would  be 
prescribed.  If  the  patient  was  not  cured  and  still  sur- 
vived the  treatment,  the  medicine  man  would  sit  for 
hours  and  bark  like  a  dog  at  the  poor  patient. 

If  this  failed,  dust  or  water  was  thrown  on  the  face, 
and  lastly,  incantations  were  used  to  drive  out  the  devil. 
Generally,  however,  the  patient  died  during  the  process 
of  the  treatment. 

In  the  meantime  active  preparations  were  making 
for  the  funeral.  The  ceremony  varied  according  to  the 
mode  of  burial. 

If  cremation  be  practiced  the  body  would  lie  in  state 
for  several  days.  The  relatives  and  slaves  of  the  house- 
hold would  neither  eat  nor  drink  for  two  days,  at  the 
end  of  which  time,  the  general  funeral  feast  was  pre- 
3 


34  California  State  Mining  Bureau. 

paring,  and  eating  and  drinking  ad  libitum  was  indulged 
in.  Then  all  follow  the  remains  to  the  funeral  pyre  in 
the  temple.  Many  of  the  slaves  and  several  of  the  rel- 
atives and  frequently  the  favorite  wives  were  slain,  to 
go  with  their  lord  and  master,  that  he  may  not  want  for 
comfort  and  may  not  be  alone  in  the  spirit  land.  It  was 
considered  an  honor  to  die  with  a  noble,  for  then,  it  was 
believed,  that  all  would  go  to  the  highest  heaven  to- 
gether. 

The  funeral  pile  is  burning,  music  is  playing  to  keep 
away  evil  spirits,  the  people  moan  and  cry,  and  the 
victims  shriek  and  struggle  as  they  are  forcibly  led  up 
to  the  altar,  and  thrown  on  their  backs  by  four  strong 
priests.  A  knife  is  now  plunged  into  the  poor  victim's 
breast,  and  the  heart  is  torn  out,  yet  bleeding,  and  beat- 
ing with  the  life  that  is  scarcely  extinct ! 

Immediately  the  heart  is  thrown  on  the  funeral  pyre 
of  the  deceased  noble,  and  the  victim's  body  is  either 
consumed  on  a  separate  pile  or  taken  home  and  eaten 
by  the  surviving  relatives  and  friends.  This  sacred  rite 
continues  until  the  dead  noble  has  enough  wives  and 
slaves  with  him  to  attend  to  his  comforts  in  heaven  {}). 
Several  dozen  people  have  been  known  to  follow  their 
chief  to  the  next  world  in  the  manner  above  described. 
On  other  occasions  the  dead  are  buried  in  caves,  and 
also  in  graves  with  their  wives  and  effects. 

The  following  remarkable  burial  custom  obtains  with 
the  Mosquitos:  The  dead  body  is  wrapped  in  fine 
cloth,  and  placed  in  a  wooden  coffin  in  his  own  house. 
Music  is  played  to  lull  him  to  peaceful  rest.  In  the 
meantime  women  inflict  on  themselves  all  kinds  of  tor- 
ture, tear  their  hair  out,  cut  their  arms  and  faces,  beat 


Bulletin  No.  1.  35 


\ 


their  heads  against  the  ground,  and  cry  and  shriek 
until  they  are  exhausted.  The  men  dance  and  yell, 
and  drink  ''pulque"  or  "teuvetli"  until  they  are  drunk. 
This  continues  for  several  days.  All  at  once  four 
naked  men,  with  their  bodies  painted  so  that  the  devil 
cannot  recognize  them,  rush  into  the  dead  man's  house, 
seize  the  coffin,  and  drag  it  to  the  place  of  interment. 
The  music  and  mourners  follow.  The  body  is  placed 
in  the  cave  or  grave,  and  a  tent  is  erected  over  it, 
which  is  daily  provided  with  food  and  drink  for  one 
year.  Should  the  birds  eat  the  food,  and  the  drink 
leak  through  the  porous  vessels,  then  they  are  happy, 
for  the  dead  man's  spirit  has  eaten  and  drunk  all  he 
wants.  The  widow,  at  the  end  of  the  year,  has  the 
bones  of  her  deceased  lord  dug  up  and  placed  in  bed 
with  her.  For  one  whole  year  she  sleeps  every  night 
with  the  dead  mxan's  bones.  Having  suffered  penance 
for  two  years  she  has  the  bones  permanently  placed  at 
the  entrance  to  her  house,  or  over  the  door. 

Another  custom,  almost  as  unique,  is  observed  by  a 
Central  American  tribe.  The  body  is  placed  in  a  deep 
pit,  large  enough  to  seat  all  the  wives,  and  such  of  the 
relatives  as  must  die  with  the  deceased.  Around  the 
dead  body,  in  solemn  silence,  sit  the  living,  while  the 
friends  are  fasting,  feasting,  and  dancing  on  top  of  the 
ground.  This  continues  for  two  days,  when,  at  the 
proper  time,  dozens  of  strong  men  surround  the  pit  and 
proceed  to  fill  it  up — the  living  being  buried  alive  with 
the  dead.  Trees  are  planted  around  the  last  resting 
place  of  the  family.  If  a  mother  die  in  child-bed,  and  the 
child  be  living,  the  infant  is  buried  alive  on  its  mother  s 
breast,  to  enable  it  to  obtain  food  in  the  next  world. 


86  California  State  Mining  Bureau. 

In  India  to-day,  in  this  nineteenth  century,  the  wife 
is  buried  alive  with  her  deceased  husband,  and  the  new 
born  children  are  cast  into  the  rivers  for  the  fish  to  eat. 

The  kings  and  nobles  of  the  early  races  of  the  Pacific 
Coast  were  frequently  cremated,  as  this  gave  the  suc- 
ceeding king  or  noble  an  opportunity  of  satisfying  the 
thirst  for  blood,  and  also  to  get  rid  of  any  obnoxious 
individual  who  was  in  the  way.  The  ashes  were  placed 
in  urns  made  of  silver  and  gold.  This  was  deposited 
in  the  temple  or  palace,  at  the  feet  of  their  patron  saint, 
and  a  statue  of  the  dead  placed  over  it.  In  Central 
America,  the  head  of  the  deceased  was  cut  off  and 
boiled.  The  skull  was  then  afterwards  fitted  up  to 
resemble  the  individual  in  life,  and  used  for  the  head  of 
his  statue. 

Embalming  was  also  practiced  by  some  of  the  abo- 
rigines. Their  process  was  the  following:  The  dead 
body  was  suspended  over  a  slow  fire  of  herbs  and  green 
boughs.  Here  it  would  dry  and  smoke  for  many  days, 
until  all  the  moisture  was  abstracted,  and  only  dry  skin 
and  bones  remained.  In  this  condition  many  mummi- 
fied bodies  were  preserved  in  the  temples,  where  they 
were  suspended  on  the  walls  for  centuries. 

Embalming,  although  of  ancient  origin,  was  never 
practiced  extensively  in  any  country.  In  the  islands  of 
Fuerteventura  it  was  used,  but  the  process  is  now  lost. 
The  preserved  body  was  surrounded  with  aromatic 
branches  and  tanned  skins  of  the  hog  or  goat,  and  placed 
in  caves.  The  Peruvians  of  Incas,  the  Gouanches,  and 
the  Egyptians,  at  the  time  of  the  Pharaohs,  were  the 
only  people  who  practiced  mummification  to  any  extent. 
The  art  is  entirely  lost.     I  examined  several  Egyptian 


Bulletin  No.  I  37 


mummies,  some  of  which  were  four  thousand  years  old. 
The  skulls  had  been  bared  to  inspect  the  bones  of  the 
face.  In  these  the  embalming  process  seems  to  have 
been  the  following:  The  bodies  were  wrapped  in  cloths 
and  then  covered  with  a  layer  of  pitch  or  tar,  again  a 
layer  of  cloth  and  another  covering  of  pitch,  and  this 
continued  until  a  thickness  of  one  half  to  two  inches 
was  obtained.  The  whole  body  was  covered — perfectly 
hermetically  sealed  from  head  to  foot,  and  as  indestruct- 
ible and  impervious  as  time  itself.  The  bones  looked 
as  fresh  as  though  death  occurred  recently.  The  mod- 
ern device  of  electro-plating  dead  bodies  cannot  be  more 
lasting  than  the  Egyptian  embalming  of  four  thousand 
or  five  thousand  years  ago. 

Relative  to  the  future  state,  the  beliefs  of  the  Ameri- 
can aborigines  very  closely  resemble  the  myths  of  older 
countries,  particularly  those  of  the  Orientals.  For 
example,  the  Apaches  believe  the  wicked  people  to 
inhabit  rattlesnakes  after  death. 

Sparks  from  a  volcano  are  supposed  to  be  villains 
sent  forth  to  torture  the  people. 

"Will-o'-the-wisp"  is  a  witch  hunting  for  spirits. 

The  greatest  superstition  is  attached  to  dreams  by  all 
the  aborigines.  It  is  believed  that  while  a  person  sleeps 
some  evil  spirit  takes  possession  of  the  body  and  actu- 
ally accomplishes  what  the  individual  dreams. 

A  shadow  is  supposed  to  be  the  individual's  other 
self. 

When  portraits  and  photographs  were  first  taken  of 
the  tribes  inhabiting  the  Gila  Valley,  the  artists  nar- 
rowly escaped  with  their  lives,  as  it  was  believed  that 
the  "impression,"  or  portrait,  was  the  spirit  transferred 


83  California  State  Mining  Bureau. 

by  some  magic  power  to  the  possessor  of  the  photo- 
graph or  picture. 

As  we  have  seen,  the  Aztecs  were  formed  out  of 
pieces  of  bone  from  the  lower  regions,  so  do  they  be- 
lieve that  wherever  their  bones  are  there  also  must  be 
the  spirit. 

The  souls  of  Sonoras  dwell  in  caves. 

The  Tlascaltecs  believe  with  the  Hindoos  that  the 
souls  of  the  dead  return  to  earth  and  enter  animals. 
The  good  souls  enter  clouds,  precious  gems,  and  birds 
of  beautiful  plumage;  but  the  common  and  wicked  souls 
pass  into  the  inferior  animals.  Reincarnation  was  also 
believed  in  by  several  tribes.  The  Aztec  souls  are  per- 
mitted to  return  to  earth  once  a  year  to  feast  with  their 
friends. 

Note  the  similarity  of  our  accepted  myths  of  the  old 
world. 

The  resurrection  of  the  Egyptian  Osiris,  Orpheus, 
and  Eurydice.  Mithraic  mysteries  of  Persia.  The 
resurrection  of  the  lifeless  Sita  in  India.  The  Eleusin- 
ian  mysteries  permits  the  return  of  Kore  to  Demeter 
for  one  half  of  every  year. 

The  metamorphoses  in  Celtic  and  Druidic  mysteries 
in  Gaul  and  Britain. 

The  Aztec  confederacy,  or  ancient  Mexicans,  and 
before  them  the  Iroquois  and  Toltecs,  non-nomadic  or 
towns- people,  occupied  northern  Mexico,  New  Mexico, 
and  Arizona,  now  represented  by  the  Pueblos,  Pimas, 
Moquis,  Maricopas,  and  Pdpagos.  The  prehistoric 
and  early  races,  whose  civilization  and  architectural 
progress  have  been  the  marvel  of  the  world,  building 
as  they  did  large  cities,  houses,  temples,  and  palaces  of 


Bulletin  No.  1.  39 


orreat  splendor,'"'  and  aqueducts  for  the  supply  of  water 

and  irrigating  purposes.     They  cultivated  gardens  and 

fields  which  supplied  them  with  food  to  eat  and  clothes 

,to   wear.     Their   burial   places  were  frequently  within 

their  own  houses;  also  in  caves,  mounds,  shafts,  natural 

.nd  artificial  sarcophagi  situated  on  their  own  premises 

[or  In  adjoining  caverns  or  cliffs. 

The  temple-pyramid  in  Mexico  is  a  superstructure  of 
royal  graves.  The  remains  were  placed  in  a  sarcoph- 
agus, one  on  top  of  the  other,  until  the  pyramid  reaches 
nearly  one  hundred  feet  in  height,  by  several  hundred 
feet  at  Its  base.  Salter  Ij/^    n       , 

The  ruins  are  justly  called  the  "American  Pompeii,"  ^' 

and  continue  to  attract  merited  attention  from  the  scien- 
tific world.  At  the  present  writing,  Professor  Frank 
Gushing  has  charge  of  an  exploring  expedition  In  Ari- 
zona, under  the  direction  of  the  Smithsonian  Institute. 
Report  reaches  us  that  the  ruins  of  a  large  city,  *'Los 
Muertos,"  he  calls  It,  has  been  discovered  and  explored. 
This  Is  situated  on  Salt  River,  near  the  junction  of  the 
Gila.  As  early  as  1697,  Father  Keno  made  explora- 
tions In  this  same  district,  when  he  was  establishing 
Jesuit  Missions.  He  speaks  of  discovering  extensive 
ruins,  and  a  considerable  population.  Prior  to  this,  the 
Spanish  General,  Coronado,  In  writing  to  the  King  of 
Spain,  speaks  of  the  ruins  and  of  the  people.  Professor 
Gushing  has  discovered  two  thousand  skeletons  and 
mummified  human  remains;  besides  valuable  prehistoric 
pottery,  idols,  utensils,  and  armaments  of  war  and  the 
chase,  and  for  domestic  purposes,  etc.,  are  exhumed. 

*  Using  flakes  of  selenite  for  windows,  and  far  ahead  of  Europeans  at  a  similar 

period  of  civilization. 


40  California  State  Mining  Bureau. 

This  will  enrich  the  Smithsonian  Institute,  and  the 
Bureau  of  Ethnology  and  Anthropology. 

It  is  a  source  of  regret  that  California  does  not  take 
more  interest  in  her  prehistoric  dwellers,  and  gather  col- 
lections that  would  be  invaluable  to  the  scientific  world. 
These  could  be  collected  at  little  expense,  as  many  of 
them  are  at  our  very  doors. 

It  is  estimated  that  Los  Muertos  had  a  population  of 
twenty-five  thousand  people,  and  that  the  ''Seven  Cities" 
along  the  Gila  Valley  represent  the  ruins  of  a  popula- 
tion of  more  than  two  hundred  thousand  souls. 

Wheat,  barley,  and  corn,  fabric,  etc.,  indicate  the  high 
degree  of  civilization  that  these  people  enjoyed. 

It  is  the  opinion  that  some  great  calamity  befell  these 
people,  like  that  of  the  inhabitants  of  Herculaneum  and 
Pompeii,  otherwise  our  ancient  cities  would  probably 
be  inhabited  to-day.  Earthquakes  and  volcanic  erup- 
tions have  killed  many  of  these  people,  and  freighted 
more  away,  besides  laying  their  flourishing  cities  in 
ruins.  Several  human  bodies  are  found  beneath  walls 
as  the  ex^cavation  continues.  The  walls  and  temples 
are  not  mouldering  away,  but  broken  up  and  laid  low 
on  the  ground.  The  people,  except  a  mere  remnant, 
have  probably  gone  south,  built  the  palaces  and  tem- 
ples of  the  Mayas  of  Yucatan,  and,  indeed,  the  halls  of 
the  Incas  of  Peru. 

The  present  bodies  are  certainly  several  hundred 
years  old,  and  in  all  probability  belong  to  the  Aztec 
race. 

One  thing  is  certain,  says  La  Voce  del  Popolo,  that 
these  remains  belong  to  a  race  entirely  different  from 
the    Indians  who    now  inhabit  the    region  where    the 


Bulletin  No.  I  41 


mummies  were  found.  The  sealing  of  the  cave,  and 
the  absence  of  the  usual  implements  and  utensils,  may 
indicate  that  they  were  buried  at  the  time  of  the  con- 
quest. The  exact  date  of  burial  must,  for  the  present, 
at  least,  remain  a  mystery. 

From  our  best  geological  and  archaeological  data  the 
American  aborigines  are  supposed  to  antedate  our  an- 
thropophagous ancestors,  from  the  wilds  of  Asia,  by 
many  thousands  of  years. 


'4^ 


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